Chicago's Germania Club Building Inches Closer to Landmark Status

I got an e-mail from Alderman Reilly's office  last week about the Germania Club.  I have to admit, I've walked past this building a number of times, but never really noticed it, other than to note that it has one of the nicest, friendliest Starbucks outlets in the area.  Fortunately, others have learned to appreciate the building's architectural merits, so now it's headed for landmark status.

You can read the Alderman's full e-mail below, and download the full landmark report from here: Germania Club PDF.

Slice of Life: Quigley's Niches

A row of saints secreted in their niches gaze down on Chestnut Street from the building that was until recently Quigley Seminary, built in 1919.  It's now the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Chicago as the Archbishop Quigley Center.

You can read more about the Quigley Center (103 East Chestnut Street) here.

The Grass is Always Greener on Michigan Avenue

I was looking through some old photographs recently, and came across some CrappyCameraPhone™ shots of the opening of the Columbia Sportswear store (830 North Michigan Avenue) that I didn't publish back when they were timely or relevant.

So, here they are -- just four months late. The reason they're interesting, is because for the event, Columbia put down artificial grass on the sidewalk, with a miniature hiking trail leading to the front doors of its store. Clever.

Cedar Tower Axed

The proposed hotel tower to be built at the site of the Cedar Hotel in the Gold Coast is dead.

We've been following the attempted renaissance of the Cedar Hotel/Hotel Cedar (1118 North State Street) for a while (here, and elsewhere).  The most recent plan included plopping a 20-story hotel on top of the current block right in the heart of Viagra Triangle.

Who killed it?  Alderman Reilly.  He's started the process for changing the zoning of this parcel to something more modest.

Reilly believes that a 250-foot-tall hotel isn't exactly the right fit for the neighborhood.  While it can be argued that there are plenty of similar-sized structures within a couple of blocks of the Hotel Cedar, the junction of State and Rush Streets does mark something of a transition zone from the canyons of the Near North Side, and the more genteel architecture of the Gold Coast.

Worse, was the fact that the hotel would have tied up an already congested part of State Street with a loading zone, and it would have had 220 rooms, but zero parking.

In a newsletter published by his office this week, Reilly had other objections, "The proposal did not go through the rigorous and transparent community process it deserved; many local residents opposed the approved hotel tower; and the aggressive plans that were approved in the current Planned Development are not being pursued."

And you can't have a Chicago city council story without a whiff of corruption and conspiracy.  Reilly again:

The former Cedar Hotel property at 1112 North State Street was up-zoned to "Business Planned Development No. 1061" on May 9, 2007 by then-Alderman Burton Natarus.  The substantial up-zoning of the Cedar Hotel was approved just eleven days prior to Alderman Reilly taking the oath of office as the new Alderman of the 42nd Ward.  

So what becomes of the Cedar Hotel?  For the moment, nothing new.  It remains a beautiful old building that has seen better days.  Hopefully it won't remain stagnant long enough to become a liability and face the wrecking ball.

Summer Brings New Life to Chicago Retail

It's been a while since I've written anything good about Oak Street (or, indeed anything at all), so it is with much delight that I recap some of the recent events that have been happening in the neighborhood.

The big news is, of course, the opening of the new Hermès store.  After seeing a raft of other boutiques set sail for other shores, it's great that this has finally come to fruition.  The old Barneys New York space at 25 East Oak Street was huge in comparison to its neighbors, and there was much wringing of hands over having that much vacant space on such a prominent corner.

As you know, part of the building was segmented out for other retail, but Hermès took the bulk of it -- 7,000 square feet -- to replace the location at 110 East Oak Street where it opened in 1989.  I found this photo of the renovated store on the internet (sorry, no photos of my own -- I'm still traveling), and although the changes are subtle, it no longer looks like Barneys.

Outwardly, the "Barneys New York" badge that was carved into the third-floor roofline is gone, replaced by large raised letters on the first floor for people across the street, and a smaller set for pedestrians.  The Hermes branding has gone up on both Oak and Rush Streets, and most importantly -- the signature red Barneys awnings have been replaced with creme colored, Hermes-branded ones that match the rest of the facade.

Inside, the store is described as "roomy" -- an adjective that one would be hard-pressed to use to describe the old Barneys space, especially on the first floor.  It was a maze of counters and shopgirls and product displays fighting for attention.  As unappetizing as the warren was for regular shoppers, the bridal fitting area was a disgrace, and the back of the house was even worse.  In the end, the move to build a new Barneys New York store at 15 East Oak Street works out for everyone involved -- Barneys, Hermès, and their customers.

But with a clean slate to work with, Hermes was able to stretch out and properly feature its products in a more elegant environment.  Credit goes to Rena Dumas Architecture, which is the legacy of Rena Dumas whose fingerprints are on every Hermes store around the world.  The old Hermes space was just 3,000 square feet; less than half of its new digs.  According to Women's Wear Daily, the new space is ideally suited for selling clothing, as Chicago is one of the strongest women's clothing markets for Hermés.  Shoe sales are also expected to double, as Hermés has gone from a few shelves of shoes into a proper shoe department.

I'm not sure if they are the most expensive items in the Chicago store, but there is mention in WWD that you can buy crocodile suitcases at the Oak Street store.  They start at $68,000.  A little more affordable, and even more exclusive, is a $375 scarf which was made for the Chicago store, and is only available there.

I've seen some photos of the opening day in the trade press, and it looks like it was a literal circus, complete with stilt walkers, women in jockey costumes, and more.  That's great, as the winter and spring were not kind to Oak Street.  It needed some kind of big event to wake it from its grey malaise.

And the good news isn't isolated to just this one store.  There have been a number of major and minor openings in the neighborhood, some filling in prominent space that was left vacant.  From the Belgian bakery that took the place of Sur la Table on Walton Street to the Gap 1969 store that slotted into the former Jake space on Rush, things are looking up.  And the fewer vacant storefronts there are, the better the neighborhood looks, which attracts more people, and more stores.

Also expected to come to the Gold Coast and Near North Side in the near future: Keep an eye out for Comptoir de Cotonniers, Topshop, Vince, HomeGoods, and Nordstrom Rack.  While not all of these brands are at the top of the retail food chain, there's a good mix that will appease locals, international visitors, and tourists from I states.

More Acorns Fall From Oak Street

It's been a painful couple of years documenting the long series of closures that have turned Chicago's Oak Street into a shadow of its former self.  The economic crisis has hurt boutiques along the street, and the hit keep on coming.

The latest bit of bad news -- Crain's Chicago Business notes this week that Liz Claiborne is trying to sublease it's Lucky Jeans space at 47 East Oak Street.  Liz has been very active on Oak Street over the last year.  It recently renovated its Kate Spade store at 56 East Oak Street after moving across the street from 101.  Liz then moved Juicy Couture into the 101 East Oak Street location.

The news at number 47 is only worsened by another note from Crain's that we tweeted about earlier this week -- that the space next door at 45 East Oak Street is for sale.  Loro Piana is in there now, but its lease expires this autumn and the building's owner wants to unload the property.

Leveling the Field at Ogden School

Construction is well underway on the new Ogden Elementary School (24 West Walton Street) on State Street.

We've talked about the demolition and construction of the new school before (here and here).  The old school is long gone, and foundation work is underway on the new one.  This picture was taken not that long ago when there was still a little snow on the ground.  With Odgen gone, it's easier to appreciate the the old Scottish Rite Cathedral (915 North Dearborn Street) across the street.  That, by the way, is for sale.  Hopefully the new owners will respect its visual integrity.

Slice of Life: Signs of Spring

This seems to happen every year.  Right about the time I start giving up hope there will be warmer weather, the daffodils and tulips start sprouting along State Street and in the medians of Michigan Avenue.

This photo was taken when the temperature was 30 degrees with a wind chill of 17, so warm weather may not be exactly "around the corner" just yet.

Jake Says "Goodbye"

I've read in the retail trade press over the last year or so about problems at Rush Street boutique Jake. I don't go into detail about who says what about whom here, but it's all about money.

About two weeks ago one of our regular tipsters said that she heard that Jake was going to close.  But I shy away from rumors, so I didn't do anything with it.  A week ago I saw the same claim made on a web site, but again without any sourcing.  Now it appears to be true.

One of our camera clan e-mailed this picture this morning.  It's nice to see that Jake is using a very classy sign to say "goodbye" rather than just a taped-up piece of paper like we've seen others do.

It's yet another hole in the Oak Street shopping district.

While on the topic of things unconfirmed, there's scuttlebutt that Yves Saint Laurent isn't coming back to Oak Street anytime soon.

We wrote a couple of months ago about YSL closing up shop. At the time, the people at the store said it was just a renovation.  Of course, when businesses renovate, they tend not to remove their signage and black-out the windows. Usually there's a helpful "Back in a couple of months!" sign.  Not so at YSL where the boutique has even been removed from the company's web site.

Some have said that YSL closed while it looks for a new location.  I don't buy it.  If you're just moving, then you find a new location first, kit it out, then move.  Just like Kate Spade did when it moved from 101 East Oak Street to 56 East Oak Street, or like Hermes is doing right now moving from 110 East Oak Street to the old Barneys New York building at 25 East Oak Street.

It should be noted that YSL recently closed it San Francisco and Madison Avenue, New York stores as well.  I'd wager those cities will get replacement YSL boutiques long before Chicago does.

Slice of Life: Bus Tour

For some reason the two features of this blog that people seem to like the most are the "Slice of Life" pieces, and videos.  People who don't live in the city, or who live in different neighborhoods, seem drawn to scenes of everyday life in Chicago.  They also like moving pictures.

Recently my CrappyCameraPhone™ acquired the ability to create truly terrible-quality videos.  So to satisfy the readers desire for both the moving and the mundane, here is a really poor quality video showing a bus ride from the Loop to Water Tower Place (845 North Michigan Avenue). Enjoy!

Slice of Life: Church Light

In the six years I've lived in Chicago and the thousands of times I've walked past Fourth Presbyterian Church (125 East Chestnut Street) somehow I never noticed the sconces that protrude from the wall on either side of its main entrance.  They're ornate and lovely, but sadly don't appear to light up in the dark.

Slice of Life: Cops On Ice

Another winter scene along North Michigan Avenue.  In this one, a Chicago Police car is covered in snow parked in the median in front of the John Hancock Center (875 North Michigan Avenue).  The officers are obviously long gone since all of the windows are snow-covered.

Slice of Life: You Light Up My Ice

In the summer, this is the location of the fountain that burbles away the long warm days at Water Tower Park just in front of the Park Tower (800 North Michigan Avenue).  In the winter, however, it looks like this -- a wireframe and fairy-light facsimile of water in motion, frozen in time.

Status Update: Children's Memorial Hospital

Yet another update on the new Children's Memorial Hospital (225 East Chicago Avenue) going up in the Gold Coast.  Though there's much glazing work to be done, the main parts of the facade are mostly in place.  For the last few weekends, there have been early-morning shipments of large pieces of truck-sized equipment whose labels, to a layman like myself, appear destined for the emergency room or ICU.

Slice of Life: Three Chicago Things

Three things remind me most of Chicago when I'm away -- historic architecture, the CTA, and snow.  This shot of the historic Water Tower (806 North Michigan Avenue) and the Pumping Station (163 East Pearson Street) across Michigan Avenue puts those three elements together.

Though Chicago is more of a cold city than a snowy city, we have exceeded our average snowfall by more than ten inches so far this season.

Slices of Life: February 9, 2010 Winter Storm

A few scenes of the snow around town.  Click any of the pictures to enlarge them.

Another Oak Street Boutique Goes Dark

Over the last few months we've told you how what was once Chicago's premier shopping street has become quieter and quieter.  Some stores are moving to new quarters, while others are taking advantage of the recession to renovate.

One of our readers e-mailed us photos of an empty store and of a sign taped to the window of Tod's (121 East Oak Street) showing that it, too, is taking a break to rejuvenate itself.  The paper indicates that the store will reopen next month.

Two weeks ago, the Yves Saint Laurent store (51 East Oak Street) also shut down, and promises to reopen in a few months.  Kate Spade (56 East Oak Street) just reopened over the weekend after undergoing its renovation.  Hermes continues to build out its new store in the old Barneys New York space (25 East Oak Street), and Marilyn Miglin still has signs up indicating that work continues on its space at 112 East Oak Street.

Of course, the ongoing bad news is that there are still a number of vacant spaces on Oak that show no signs of being reborn.  Most prominently 58, 56, and 72 all right by each other.

Video and pics: Helicopter Lift at Water Tower Place

Several streets in the Gold Coast were shut down this morning so that new HVAC units could be lifted to the roof of Water Tower Place (845 North Michigan Avenue).

The sky crane picked up the HVAC units one at a time from the ball field at nearby Lake Shore Park, ferried them down Chicago Avenue, and then up to the top of the skyscraper.  Getting them over that lip is quite a feat, as it is 1,059 feet high.

The original lift was scheduled for January 23, 2010 but had to be postponed a week because of bad weather.

Helicopter lifts are much like baseball games -- simultaneously boring and fascinating.  I made a video of a portion of the lift to give you an idea what it looks like. I didn't bother shooting the transport of all six giant silver boxes.

More pictures follow the video.  Click on them to enlarge.

Would The Last Boutique on Oak Street Please Turn Off The Lights?

Another Oak Street boutique is taking advantage of the crummy economy to re-tool.

The Yves Saint Laurent store at 51 East Oak Street closed last Friday (January 23, 2010).  Word is that the interior is being completely renovated.  The new design is based on plans from Paris and is intended to upgrade the Chicago location to flagship status.

When will that be?  At this time it's anyone's guess.  Estimates are running two to three months.

Also closed to renovation is the Kate Spade store across the street at 56 East Oak.  It is expected to reopen by the end of the month.

For those of you keeping score at home, the following spaces are closed on Oak Street:

• 25 East Oak Street (Formerly Barneys, soon to be Hermes)
• 51 East Oak Street (YSL, reopening in a few months)
• 56 East Oak Street (Kate Space, reopening sooner)
• 58 East Oak Street (The dead Esquire Theater)
• 68 East Oak Street (Formerly Citibank)
• 72 East Oak Street (Formerly G'Bani)
• 112 East Oak Street (Soon to be Marilyn Miglin)

A block over, 52 East Walton Street is now empty.  It was Sur La Table, and there was word that some kind of bakery or cupcake shop or something was looking at the space, but the signs on the windows state the space is still available, so it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

The good news is that 102 East Oak Street is no longer shuttered.  It's now the home of Colletti.  It used to be Atlas Galleries.

How can shops like YSL and Spade afford to shutter their doors when consumer spending is down?  The logic is that it's better to close when spending is down than when spending is high.

Anyone who follows the retail press knows that high-end shoppers are mostly sticking to New York, London, Dubai (yes, still Dubai), and the major Asian markets these days.

We keep hearing from people who work in Chicago's retail sector that the few tourists who choose to make Chicago their destination continue to balk at the city's high sales tax.  By one estimate, half of the high-end north side shoppers who inquire about the sales tax end up walking out without buying anything.

It's not that they can't afford 10.25%, it's just that no one likes getting gouged.  And those who can afford it wonder why they should pay an extra 10.25% at Chicago boutiques when they can get the same item in other cities for less.

And the math doesn't just work for the well-to-do.  I know ordinary people in Chicago who fly to Minneapolis to do their back-to-school shopping at the Mall of America.  With zero sales tax on clothing, and a much lower sales tax than Chicago on everything else, they end up saving enough money to more than pay for the plane ticket.

Gotta get me some kids.

Slice of Life: A Worse Job Than Yours

Be happy for your job is, chances are it's not worse than this.  Unless your profession can be showcased on the Dirty Jobs television show, these guys digging a ditch in the snow outside the John Hancock Center (875 North Michigan Avenue) have it worse than you.

Of course, none of this applies if you're one of the 10.3% (official) to 22% (unofficial) of people in Chicago who can't find a job.  Believe me, I know.  I spent September and October trying to find a job in Chicago.  I finally gave up after about the 30th time I was told I'm "overqualified."  What is that supposed to mean?  Because I have a college degree and a strong work ethic I'm not able to stack crates of granola at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods?